Green Presidential Vote Compared, 2004 to 2008

Posted on by December 19, 2008
6

In 2004, Green Party presidential candidate David Cobb was on the ballot in states containing 54.3% of the national presidential vote cast that year. In the places where he was on the ballot, he received .177% of the total vote cast in those places.

In 2008, Green Party presidential nominee Cynthia McKinney was on the ballot in states containing 69.7% of the national presidential vote cast that year. In the places where she was on the ballot, she received .173% of the total vote cast in those places.

Thus, the experience in these two presidential elections for the Green Party almost perfectly matches the Nader experience. In both cases, the candidate did a far better job of getting on ballots in 2008 than in 2004. But, in the areas with ballot status, the percentage of the vote received was virtually the same in both years.

Libertarian Spin-Offs in 2008 Presidential Election

Posted on by December 19, 2008
3

George Phillies, who appeared on the New Hampshire ballot with the label “Libertarian”, polled .07% of the vote cast in New Hampshire. New Hampshire only cast .5% of the national presidential vote.

Charles Jay, presidential candidate of the Boston Tea Party, polled .02% of the vote cast in the three states in which he was on the ballot. Those three states accounted for 10.2% of the national presidential vote.

Thomas Stevens, presidential candidate of the Objectivist Party, polled .01% of the vote cast in the two states in which he was on the ballot. Those two states cast 8.2% of the national presidential vote.

Other than in 2008, the only other Libertarian who ever ran for president in the general election, even though he was not the Libertarian presidential nominee, was L. Neil Smith in 2000. He appeared on the Arizona ballot with the label “Libertarian”, and polled .38% in that state.

Ron Paul 2008 General Election Presidential Vote

Posted on by December 19, 2008
9

Ron Paul was on the November 2008 ballot for president in Louisiana and Montana. Those two states only accounted for 1.9% of the national presidential vote this year. However, Paul received votes in those two states equal to .82% (of the total presidential vote in those two states). Consequently, he received the highest percentage of the vote (in the areas in which he was on the ballot) of any presidential candidate last month, other than Barack Obama and John McCain.

Whether Ron Paul was a “candidate” for president in November 2008 depends on the definition of “candidate”. He did not ask to be put on the ballot.